Davies commission expected to ground Boris Island airport scheme

Aerial view of Thames Estuary hub airport. Image: Foster + PartnersA Government commission into the future of UK air capacity is set to rule-out building Mayor Boris Johnson’s proposed Thames estuary airport according to the Telegraph.

The commission, which is chaired by former Financial Services Authority boss Howard Davies, was set-up by ministers to investigate options for future expansion.

In December it recommended that the Government consider expansion at Heathrow and Gatwick airports but agreed to carry out further study of the Mayor’s estuary scheme.

Expanding Heathrow is opposed by some local residents and all parties on the London Assembly as well as by Boris Johnson who backs the construction of a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary and the closure of Heathrow.

London taxpayers have incurred costs of around £5m to develop proposals for ‘Boris Island’, with developers paid another £100,000 to draw up plans for the potential re-use of the Heathrow site.

The site of the Mayor’s preferred option is outside of London’s borders and the scheme is heavily opposed by residents, environmental campaigners and local politicians.

According to the Telegraph , the Commission is expected to confirm on Tuesday that the scheme will not be added to the short-list of options.

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